In the field of medical treatment, and in particular the field of radiology, there are many scanning technologies that can be used to investigate biological processes and anatomy. Such scanning technologies are typically referred to as imaging modalities and include, by way of example, X-Ray radiography, Computed Tomography (CT), Ultrasound (US), Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI), Single Photon Emission Computed Tomography (SPECT), Positron Emission Tomography (PET), etc. Several of these commonly used imaging modalities use ionising radiation, and as such involve exposing the patient to some level of radiation. Patients may also be exposed to radiation through other forms of medical treatment, or intervention. For example, Radiation Therapy (RT or RX), also known as Radiotherapy, is a form of intervention that may be used to treat cancers, and which involves exposing parts of a patient's body to high levels of ionising radiation.
The use of such imaging modalities and treatments/interventions that involve exposing a patient to radiation has obvious risks associated with it, including short term risks such as radiotoxicity as well as long term effects such as an increased risk of cancer. Over the past two decades there has been a rapid increase in the use of imaging in medical practice, including the use of imaging modalities that use ionising radiation, such as X-Ray radiography, Computed Tomography (CT), Single Photon Emission Computed Tomography (SPECT), Positron Emission Tomography (PET), etc. The increased use of such imaging modalities has a direct effect on the amount of radiation a patient may be exposed to, both over a short period of time as well as over the lifetime of that patient, and thereby on the associated risks to the patient.
Thus, a need exists for an improved radiation exposure monitoring system and method of operation therefor.